Apprentice Level 3 Early Years

First Steps Nursery

Chester Le Street (DH3 4HU)

Closes in 15 days (Friday 19 June 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 4 June 2026

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Contents

Summary

Welcome to First Steps Nursery where we have been providing quality childcare for the local community since 2010 onwards.  

Wage

£12,480 to £19,827.60, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Monday to Friday - set shift pattern.

30 hours a week

Start date

Monday 29 June 2026

Duration

1 year 3 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

  • To keep a proper record of achievement file on your key children, for parents/carers
  • Work with parents/carers of special needs children to give full integration in the setting
  • Support all staff and engage in a good staff team
  • Liaise with and support parents/carers and other family members
  • To be involved in out of working hours activities, e.g. training, monthly staff meetings, fundraising events
  • To be flexible within working practices of the Setting. Be prepared to help where needed, including to undertake certain domestic jobs within the Setting, e.g. preparation of snack meals, cleansing of equipment etc.
  • To respect the confidentiality of information received
  • To develop your role within the team especially with regard as a key worker
  • To ensure the Setting of a high quality environment to meet the needs of individual children from differing cultures and religious backgrounds, and stages of development
  • To be aware of the high profile of the Setting and to uphold its standards at all times

Specific Child Care Tasks

  • The preparation and completion of activities to suit the child's stage of development
  • To ensure that mealtimes are a time of pleasant social sharing
  • Washing and changing children as required
  • Providing comfort and warmth to an ill child

Where you'll work

Medway
Great Lumley
Chester Le Street
DH3 4HU

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

SKILLS NORTH EAST LIMITED

Training course

Early years educator (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Recognise when a child or a colleague is in danger or at risk of abuse and act to protect them in line with safeguarding policy and procedure.
  • Apply legislation, policy and procedure to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children in the setting (for example, food safety, diets, starting solid food, allergies, COSHH, and accidents, injuries, and emergencies).
  • Apply the principles of risk assessment and risk management within documentation and practice.
  • Teach children to develop skills to manage risk and maintain their own and others safety.
  • Use a range of communication methods, including technology, with other professionals to meet the individual needs of the child.
  • Develop and maintain effective professional, collaborative relationships with others involved in the education and care of the child.
  • Undertake the role and responsibilities of key person.
  • Recognise and apply theories of attachment to develop effective relationships with children.
  • Provide sensitive and respectful personal care for children from birth to 5 years.
  • Advocate for all children’s needs, including children which require SEND or EAL support.
  • Promote and facilitate children’s interpersonal communication to develop their social interactions and relationships.
  • Support children to develop a positive sense of their own identity and culture.
  • Support children to understand and respond to their emotions and make considered choices about their behaviours.
  • Assess the responsiveness of the environment for effective child-centred experiences in line with curriculum requirements.
  • Create inclusive, child-centred, dynamic, innovative, and evolving physical environments both indoors and outdoors.
  • Create inclusive and supportive emotional environment that enables the child to feel safe, secure, respected and experience a sense of wellbeing; maintaining and prioritising the individual child’s voice.
  • Apply strategies that support children’s ability to manage change, transition, and significant events.
  • Analyse observation evidence to assess and plan holistic individual learning based on a comprehensive understanding of the child’s needs and interests.
  • Facilitate and support child-centred opportunities and experiences based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
  • Provide adult led opportunities and experience based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
  • Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally.
  • Recognise when a child or a colleague is in danger or at risk of abuse and act to protect them in line with safeguarding policy and procedure.
  • Apply legislation, policy and procedure to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children in the setting (for example, food safety, diets, starting solid food, allergies, COSHH, and accidents, injuries, and emergencies).
  • Apply the principles of risk assessment and risk management within documentation and practice.
  • Teach children to develop skills to manage risk and maintain their own and others safety.
  • Use a range of communication methods, including technology, with other professionals to meet the individual needs of the child.
  • Develop and maintain effective professional, collaborative relationships with others involved in the education and care of the child.
  • Undertake the role and responsibilities of key person.
  • Recognise and apply theories of attachment to develop effective relationships with children.
  • Provide sensitive and respectful personal care for children from birth to 5 years.
  • Advocate for all children’s needs, including children which require SEND or EAL support.
  • Promote and facilitate children’s interpersonal communication to develop their social interactions and relationships.
  • Support children to develop a positive sense of their own identity and culture.
  • Support children to understand and respond to their emotions and make considered choices about their behaviours.
  • Assess the responsiveness of the environment for effective child-centred experiences in line with curriculum requirements.
  • Create inclusive, child-centred, dynamic, innovative, and evolving physical environments both indoors and outdoors.
  • Create inclusive and supportive emotional environment that enables the child to feel safe, secure, respected and experience a sense of wellbeing; maintaining and prioritising the individual child’s voice.
  • Apply strategies that support children’s ability to manage change, transition, and significant events.
  • Analyse observation evidence to assess and plan holistic individual learning based on a comprehensive understanding of the child’s needs and interests.
  • Facilitate and support child-centred opportunities and experiences based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
  • Provide adult led opportunities and experience based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
  • Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally.

Training schedule

This training schedule has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths and English (grade 4 to 9)

Desirable qualifications

Early Years Level 2 in:

EYE (grade Pass)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience
  • Motivated
  • Passion for working early year

Other requirements

  • Passing a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
  • Level 2 Early Years qual desirable

About this employer

Welcome to First Steps Nursery where we provide a high quality environment to meet the needs of individual children from differing cultures and religious backgrounds to support their stages of development.

Company benefits

  • Free on-site parking
  • Set shift patterns
  • Staff discounts
  • Childcare discount

After this apprenticeship

Growth within the company once apprenticeship is completed.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

SKILLS NORTH EAST LIMITED

Cathryn

cathryn@sne.org.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000035180.

Apply now

Closes in 15 days (Friday 19 June 2026 at 11:59pm)